Cotton Picking and Processing — Gujarat's Cotton Farming

Cotton (Gossypium) is a plant of the Malvaceae family. Two main species are cultivated in Gujarat: Gossypium hirsutum (American Upland, accounting for more than 90% of India's total cotton area) and Gossypium arboreum (Desi cotton, short-stapled but more durable). The plant grows 1-1.5 meters tall, leaves are three to five-angled, and flowers are yellow-white in color which transform into fruit (boll). When the boll matures, it opens and the white fiber inside becomes visible.

In Gujarat, cotton is sown in the kharif season during June-July (at the beginning of the monsoon). Cotton bolls start opening 150-180 days after sowing, that is during October to January. Not all bolls on the plant mature together — therefore 3-4 pickings have to be done in one season. The first picking is usually done in October-November, and the last in January-February. Pick early in the morning after the dew has dried — wet cotton increases in weight and quality decreases.

Pick only fully open cotton bolls. An open boll splits into three to five locules and the white fiber inside swells and comes out. Do not pick green, half-open, or yellow bolls — these are immature and the fiber quality will be poor. Keep diseased bolls (brown, black-spotted) separate — do not mix with healthy fiber.

Grasp the lint from the open boll with your fingers and pull. The lint should come out easily — do not use excessive force. Be careful not to break the dry parts of the boll (bract, burr) — this debris mixes with the lint and reduces the grade. Use both hands: hold the stem with one hand and pick the lint with the other hand. A skilled picker can pick 30-40 kg of cotton per day.

Fill the picked cotton into a shoulder-hung picking bag. When the bag is full, empty it into a large burlap sack. Do not compress the cotton — excessive pressure tangles the fibers. Ensure that leaves, twigs, and dust do not mix with the picked cotton. Keep wet or dew-laden cotton separate — moist cotton has a higher risk of developing mold.

Spread the picked cotton in thin layers on a clean drying platform or palm mat. Dry in direct sunlight for 2-3 days, turning 2-3 times a day for uniform drying. The moisture content should reduce to 8-10%. Cotton with excess moisture breaks during ginning and develops fungus in storage. Cover in the evening or when it rains. Sun drying in open areas of Gujarat is common — yields are 1500-2000 kg cotton per hectare.

From dried cotton, manually pick out leaves, twigs, dried burr parts, and other trash. This process is called 'cleaning' or 'trash removal'. Clean cotton fetches 5-10% higher prices in the market. Keep stained or diseased cotton bolls separate — they reduce the grade.

Cotton (kapas) = lint + seed. Ginning means separating lint (lint) from seed (seed). In the traditional Gujarati method, a 'churki' (churki) is used — these are two wooden rollers that rotate in opposite directions to each other. Feed cotton between the two rollers — lint comes out ahead and seed remains behind. With a hand churki, 5-8 kg of cotton can be ginned per day. The modern roller gin works on this same principle.

After ginning, cotton is compressed and tangled. Traditionally, 'dhunai' (bow carding) is used — a large wire bow is struck against a pile of cotton. The vibration of the wire loosens and fluffs the fibers. This process aligns the fibers parallel, removes knots, and separates any remaining fine waste. Fluffed cotton is light, soft, and ready for carding.

The length of cotton fiber (staple) determines quality. Short staple: less than 21 millimeters — for coarse fabric. Medium staple: 22-25 millimeters — for ordinary fabric. Long staple: 26-32 millimeters — for high quality fabric. To check fiber length, take a few fibers and stretch them — long fibers stretch easily and are stronger. In Gujarat, cotton with medium and long staple is mainly grown.

Press the ginned cotton tightly into clean cloth bales. Traditionally, hand pressing creates 20-30 kilogram bales. Bind each bale securely with rope or cloth strips. Write the weight, grade (fiber length), and date on each bale. Also store cottonseed separately — it is used for cottonseed oil and animal feed (oilcake).

Store dried runi seeds in a dry, well-ventilated warehouse. Keep the seeds elevated from the ground — place them on wooden planks or platforms. Keep away from moisture — if humidity exceeds 8-10%, fungus and deterioration occur. Keep the warehouse clean for protection from rats and insects. Properly stored runi maintains quality for many months. Farmers in Gujarat sell cotton in the APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) market.